Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-50

On this page, we are comparing the Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-50, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the GH1 (12MP) and K-50 (16MP) and the GH1 (Four Thirds) and K-50 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The GH1 was introduced 5 years before the K-50 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GH1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-50 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a quick summary of how the GH1 grades against the K-50 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Pentax K-50. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic GH1 Gallery and Pentax K-50 Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic GH1 comes with external measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 1.8") with a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) and the Pentax K-50 has sizing of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-50 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the GH1 against the K-50.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the GH1 and K-50 is 81 and 63 respectively.

Usually, it's difficult to see the difference in sensor measurements purely by going through specifications. The visual below might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the GH1 and K-50.

Plainly, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The GH1 having a smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Pentax K-50 will provide more detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older GH1 will be behind in sensor innovation.